News

PME pioneer recognized for contributions

  • Published
  • By Amanda Creel
  • 78 ABW/PA
Robins Air Force Base, Ga. --  This week, Robins Airmen Leadership School students were given a unique opportunity to look back at the 50 years of Professional Military Education at the base through the eyes of one of its pioneer.

It all began as one retired Airman, his wife and son traveled from Ohio to the Southeast in search of warmer weather.

Jack Ratcliffe, a retired master seargeant, his wife, Roberta, and his son, Darryl, decided to visit a few former duty stations, including stops in Georgia-Hunter Airfield in Savannah and Robins.

It wasn't long before the trio arrived to Robins where Sergeant Ratcliffe had been the first flight chief of the Robins Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory School, known today as Airman Leadership School.

Mr. Ratcliffe said he just wanted to see what the school was like today.

It wasn't long before Mr. Ratcliffe's present-day predecessor, Master Sgt. Matthew Ogle, decided his presence was a moment that could not go unrecognized by the school.

"He's a PME pioneer," Sergeant Ogle said.

He added Mr. Ratcliffe epitomizes one of the key slogans or phrases of the school today: 'Know the way, go the way and show the way.'

The leadership school's present class joined together with the Robins NCO Academy's final class for a special retreat ceremony to honor the 86-year-old man for his contributions to the school's beginning in 1958.

The school presented Mr. Ratcliffe with a flag that was flown over Iraq as part of the Operation Iraqi Freedom and a plaque recognizing his 28 years of service to the country and role in PME at Robins.

The school even took a moment to recognize Roberta and her 28 years of sacrifice in support of her husband's service with a bouquet of spring flowers.

Mr. Ratcliffe was overwhelmed with gratitude. He and his wife said this was a moment the couple would never forget.

The Airmen enrolled in the present day airmen leadership school were thrilled with the opportunity to learn about the beginnings of the program from one of the pioneers of Robins military education.

"The opportunity to meet him was incredible. We got to see this portfolio he had all of these pictures of the school house and the students back then," said Staff Sgt. Brad Burfield, an air transportation specialist with the Readiness Flight.

He said the course had changed over the years because in Mr. Ratcliffe's day the school was similar to basic training with the Airmen living in dorms or barracks.

"They had the lockers just like at basic and everything had to be separated into separate drawers, even a sock drawer," Sergeant Burfield said.

Senior Airmen Ashley Deering, a fuels specialist with the 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron, said it was neat to see the similarities and differences between the first class in the '50s and her graduating class in 2008.

"There are a lot of parallels even though the times have changed," Airman Deering said.

Airman Deering said she is glad the class, which graduated from ALS May 13, was able to recognize Mr. Ratcliffe's role in PME and his contributions to the Army Air Corp and the Air Force.

She said many of the same lessons impressed on their class in ALS were part of the school's curriculum in its formative years.

One of the differences that surprised her was the amount of marching the students had to do then.

"We got to take a step back to where they were and let him know what he did we appreciated," Airman Deering said.